Council endorses new draft multicultural policy

Thursday, 23 August 2018

Inner West Council has endorsed a draft Multicultural Policy which will ensure equity of access to Council services and decision-making, as well as developing initiatives that support and celebrate the Inner West’s cultural diversity.

The draft policy includes commitments to appoint a multicultural liaison officer and the establishment of a new multicultural advisory committee to give ethnic communities a renewed and powerful voice at Inner West Council.

Councillor Sam Iskandar, who moved the motion, said the Inner West is a better and richer place because it boasts so many different cultures.

“The Inner West values its local identity and remains very proud of its diversity. We want to continue to celebrate this unique community of people,” said Councillor Iskandar.

“The Inner West is the birthplace of multiculturalism in Australia,” said Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne.

“We must make sure that Council does everything it can to celebrate our unique and diverse community, and to find new ways we can build on this commitment,” he said.

Mayor Byrne said there are a range of initiatives Council will be looking at to strengthen its bonds with the Inner West’s multicultural communities.

“There is a real danger that the strong relationship between ethnic communities and the three former councils could be weakened as a result of the amalgamation,” he said.

“This policy is to ensure the voices of people from non-English speaking backgrounds are heard in Council’s decision-making spaces.”

Some of the multicultural initiatives contained in the draft policy include:

• Appointing a dedicated multicultural liaison officer to support local organisations

• Ensuring Council information is available and easily accessible in community languages

• Creating a Multicultural Advisory Committee and Inter-Faith Reference Group to inform Council decision-making

• Exploring ways of delivering the largest Lunar festival in the history of the Inner West to celebrate Chinese and East Asian communities

• Establishing an Inner West Anti-Racism Film Festival with entries to come from local residents, community groups and schools

• Setting up Civic Receptions to celebrate the national days of local ethnic communities including the Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek, Portuguese, Italian and Lebanese communities

The draft Multicultural Policy will now go on public exhibition for a period of 28 days. All Inner West citizens are invited to comment. Go to yoursayinnerwest.com.au